(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical film assembly and a display device including the optical film assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical film assembly which substantially improves side visibility thereof, and a display device including the optical film assembly.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device generally includes an LCD panel which displays an image using light transmittance of liquid crystal molecules, and a backlight assembly disposed below the LCD panel and which provides the LCD panel with light.
The LCD panel typically includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a thin-film transistor (“TFT”), a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode.
The liquid crystal molecules, which are in the liquid crystal layer, may be implemented in a vertically aligned (“VA”) mode, in which an electric field is applied between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode. Specifically, when the electric field is not applied between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode, the LCD panel may display a white image. When the electric field is applied between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode, the LCD panel may display a black image.
More specifically, when the electric field is applied between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are aligned in a direction substantially horizontal with respect to a plane defined by the first pixel electrode or the second pixel electrode. When the liquid crystal molecules are aligned in the horizontal direction, a contrast ratio of an image displayed on a front portion of the LCD panel is improved. However, a contrast ratio of an image displayed on, e.g., viewed from, a side portion of the LCD panel is substantially low, due to a phase of light emitted toward the side portion of the LCD panel, which is substantially delayed as it travels through the liquid crystal molecules along a thickness direction of the LCD panel.
Thus, the LCD panel operated in the vertical alignment mode has a reduced contrast ratio of an image viewed from a side of the LCD panel, due to a phase retardation along the thickness direction of the liquid crystal molecules of the LCD panel.